A unique and distinctive culture emerges from the Burning Man experience. Rooted in the values expressed by the Ten Principles, this culture is manifested around the globe through art, communal effort, and innumerable individual acts of self-expression. To many, it is a way of life.

There are all kinds of ways to volunteer and get involved at Burning Man.. And this year, like any other year, Lamplighters needs your help to make one of the largest art protects at Burning Man happen.

In 2012 Lamplighters will be lighting the city for the 19th year in a row. This year Lamplighters will need about 60 people off of the streets every night to get the city lit. Over the years thousands have helped light the city and many of them speak highly of the work. It is a great way for newcomers and veterans alike to get involved and do something.

So, how can you help?!

Individuals and small groups looking to help:

Show up at the Lamplighters Chapel Workspace at 5:00PM Monday through Friday and Sunday to help out. There will be a white board with a sign up to work for that night. Lamplighters will be around to help you figure it out.

On the day the Man Burns, Saturday, show up at 4:00PM. This is a tough day to get volunteers but work starts early so it can be finished and still allow you plenty of time to get ready for the burn.

Where do you show up?!

Lamplighters is usually located right behind the Center Camp Cafe, towards the 6'o'Clock road behind the Cafe. It's usually on the map handed to you by the Greeters. You'll be looking for the camp with a bunch of tables setup and hundreds of lanterns..

What do I do?!

There are multiple ways to help!

A way to help without any commitment is to help at the tables trimming wicks and refilling of the lanterns. Show up around 5:00PM Monday-Friday (4PM saturday) and a Lamplighter will help you with the process.

But what we really need is the commitment of a few hours.

The roles we need filled each night:

Carriers: Slowly carry 12 lanterns on a pole on their shoulders (we have pads to make it easier).

Lifter: Lift lanterns up on a pole and hang them on the spires (we train you how to do it.)

Support: Go around relighting lanterns that may have gone out during the procession, and where needed you'll help the other roles in some way. This may include pulling goggles down on a carrier, or temporarily filling in for a carrier/lifter if they cant carry on (though that rarely happens).

There are multiple routes to choose from, such as doing the Center Camp ring, or the 3 o'Clock promenade, or the route that leads to The Temple...

Large Groups and Theme Camps:

Do you want to bring your whole camp, or a part of it, along for a Group Lamplighters Shift?! It's a great way to volunteer together, and whether it's your whole camp or not Lamplighters welcomes Theme Camps, Art Groups, Builders, etc,.. Perhaps you want to dedicate your group to all working on the same route.. Or just want to help out where youre needed.

If your group is interested in a large group shift contact the Lamplighters Project Manager directly: snotto [at] burningman [dot] com

If youre interested.. don't be afraid to help out! Lamplighters arent just a theme camp but a part of the Community Services Department and our work is seen by most everyone in the City every night. Looking back after you've finished a shift and seeing all those lanterns up is a cool feeling.

Lamplighters provides the robes that are worn during the performance of the nightly rounds.. we have more than enough for everyone, and in different sizes. (they arent gifts! we will need them back.. (and yes! they do get washed))

Our friendly Robe Mistress and her Robe Team will find the right robe for you and help get it on over your normal street clothes/burner clothes... They are difficult to put on without instruction but dont worry! Our robing crew is awesome and it is entirely painless.. theyll even help keep your camelback tube from being buried under the robe.

The robes are worn over your normal clothes and the robe is a part of the performance...

Some folks wear their packs of stuff while lighting.. some over their robe, some under... some without. Some wear the hood that is built in to the robe, some dont...

As with anywhere at burning man.. prepare for the worst with masks/goggles/water/light.. (so you can find your tent after working)

I am unsure if anyone has ever done it without the robe! thats crazytalk!

(maybe its just me but sometimes.... those robes can make some people look like some bad asses..or maybe that is just the really long pointy sticks)

junglesmacks wrote:Couldn't you guys just hook up on more of these and save yourself loads of time and energy?

(..been considered... but no!!! ..kerosene fire will always better... besides, the DPW already builds and cares for the Spires.. with solar powered lanterns that need no tending the dpw would in effect become the lamplighters.. and nobody wants that.)

it says this stuff on the lamplighters volunteer page on the burning man site..

A community is defined, largely, by its traditions. Black Rock City is a place rich in tradition... The Lamplighters have been an important part of Burning Man almost as long as Burning Man has been held in the desert....while many things have changed, the Lamplighters remain..

Elliot wrote:I used to assume there had to be a waiting list many years long to become a Lamplighter.

This year, at least, there is a waitlist to camp in the village and be a Lamplighter Villager. However, as Lemur's original post makes clear, walk-up volunteers are always welcome. I'll be stopping by for sure

Lemur, do fabulous Robe Mistress & co. need help making new robes?

When he lights his streetlamp, it is as if he brought one more star to life, or one flower.When he puts out his lamp, he sends the flower, or the star, to sleep.That is a beautiful occupation.

Show up at the Lamplighters Chapel Workspace at 5:00PM Monday through Friday and Sunday to help out. There will be a white board with a sign up to work for that night. Lamplighters will be around to help you figure it out.

On the day the Man Burns, Saturday, show up at 4:00PM. This is a tough day to get volunteers but work starts early so it can be finished and still allow you plenty of time to get ready for the burn.

This might be my last year of Burning Man for awhile, I really want to reach out and meet new people and do something rewarding like this. Lamplighter sounds like the perfect way to get into the heart of the city. I have been working out, I used to be very flimsy but have done some strength training so I do not have the aches and pains I used to have. I am only posting to motivate myself some more to really branch out and do this. I just did ambiance for my favorite festival early July and it really taught me about that extra feeling of really being involved. I loved it. Hope to meet some of you there!!!

There are dedicated support positions that walk alongside the carriers and lifters, tending the lamps and making sure everyone's doing okay, but I'm not sure if this role requires previous lamplighting experience.

Paging lemur or any other experienced lamplighter...

When he lights his streetlamp, it is as if he brought one more star to life, or one flower.When he puts out his lamp, he sends the flower, or the star, to sleep.That is a beautiful occupation.

Back from the burn and ready to answer some questions! As lamplighters with their various roles move throughout the city, the procession becomes a beautiful dance. I love being a part of the procession to light the city and would recommend it to any burner. We have robes for kids!

Carrying is not just for "big, burly men." Plenty of women carry, plenty of older folks carry, and I've been told we've even had a few kids in the 12-14 age range carry as well. A fully-loaded lantern-carrying pole is about forty pounds (six lanterns per side) and it gets lighter as the lifters remove lanterns along the way. The flow of the procession revolves pretty much entirely around the steady advance of the lines of carriers. I carried twice on the longest route with not much trouble at all. It's very zen: you walk slowly, focused entirely on your task. I enjoyed it a lot.

If you volunteer for support, you do not have to have lamplighting experience. There is a small chance a carrier will be asked to replace a tired carrier. Otherwise, support is focused on keeping the lanterns lit with well-adjusted flames, on keeping the carriers comfortable (goggles on/off, giving water, pairing up with another support person to hold the ends of the carrying pole to give the carrier a quick shoulder-rotating break, etc.), and on helping the lifters keep track of where to take the next lantern from.

Lifters do the most walking as they move to pick up a lantern from a carrier, proceed forward out of the processional line to the lamppost, lift the lantern, and then come to the back of the line to get another lantern. While being a carrier is a time to look inside yourself, lifting is all about working in unison with your partner and the other lifters. Unfortunately, being short is a disadvantage for lifters.

I recommend coming a bit before 5pm - this year we had so many volunteers we had to turn down some walk-ins (with regrets). Besides, there's a party every afternoon in the bar before the work begins!

When he lights his streetlamp, it is as if he brought one more star to life, or one flower.When he puts out his lamp, he sends the flower, or the star, to sleep.That is a beautiful occupation.

Packing all done and dreaming of what you'll do on the playa? Why not swing by Lamplighters one evening and join the procession to light the city? We're right in Center Camp - look for the huge chapel tent.

No appointment needed - just swing by a little before 5:00* and we'll get you set up. If you're in Center Camp a little earlier, you can hit up one of the daily, themed parties at our bar!

*Four on Saturday.

When he lights his streetlamp, it is as if he brought one more star to life, or one flower.When he puts out his lamp, he sends the flower, or the star, to sleep.That is a beautiful occupation.